Coin-operated mechanism.



PATBNTBD APR. 9, 1907.

J. J. WOOD. GOIN OPERATED MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.14.1906.

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INVE NTOR W j; Hy ftar/zeys, k rLcuam YU@ una WITNESSES:

JAMES J. WOOD, OF FORT WAYNE, INDIANA.

COIN-OPERATED NIECHANISIVI.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 9, 1907.

Application tiled December 14,1906. Serial No. 347,792.

To all when?, if: may' crm/cern:

Be it lnown that I, Innes J. Woon, a citizen oit the United States, residing` et Fort ITayne, in the county l).llen and State off Indiana, have invern ed cert; in new and uteul Improvements in Coin-Opegf-aed \echanisms, of which the teli-owing is a peciiication.

rIhis invention provides certain improvements applicable to coin-mtuated mechanisms of that class or character where the coin after being dropped in through a coin-slot serves as a mechanixl intermediary through which an operative thrust ma3v he transmitted from an actuating to an actuated pa rt.

rIhe object ot the invention is to prevent the escape ot the coin lfeliore the mechanism has completed its designed movement.

In the accompanying drawings the invention is illustrated as applied to the prepayment mechanism which is set Vforth in detail in my United States Letters Patent No. 806,722, granted December 5, 1905.

Figure I is a Vliragmentary lront elevation et the apparatus, certain parts being in vertical section, taken on the line l. I. in Fig. it. Figs. 2 and 3 are vertical sections in a similar plane, showing the parts in a dill`erentposition. Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section. Fig. 5 is a perspective of one ol the parts removed.

Referring to the ,hawings7 let A designate the apparatus or structure to which the coinactuated mechanism is applied, and B the front plate of the casing thereof. This plate has a forward proiection B, shown as of cylindrical or barrel shape. In its upper part it has a coin-admission slot O, Fig. Ll, and diametrically opposite to this in the under side is a coin-discharge slot or` opening D, from which the coin may liall through an upright conduit E or otherwise directly or indirectly into the receptacle beneath.

`I/Vithin the barrel-shaped casing I3 is inclosed an oscillatahle sleeve or barrel F, havlng at lts trent a neck F, wlnch proieets out through the front of the easing and has lixed to it an operating part G, such as a disk or knob. Concentric with the barrel F is a shaft H, having a portion II, which projects into the hollow ot the barrel F. The barrel F has a slot formed in its upper side which when in the coin-receiving position coincides with the coin-admission slot O, Fig. 4. The portion II of the shaft II has slot through it for receiving the coin. I he barrel F is limited to a half-revolution in either direction, while the shaft II moves forward only a lmlf--i'evo`.ution each time, heilig prevented trom turning haci; 'adby a ratchet-whee"` I, en `ed ih v i Y Lovld.

v\. hen a coin inserted and the barrel turned to its receiving posit ion, the coin drops down into the sot in the shaiit lI, as shown Ezv the circle :r in Fig. fl. In this position the prescriired coin serves to lock; together lhe lzarrel F, which is the driving or actuating part, and the shaiit Il, which is the coin driven or actuated part. By imparting a halt-turn to the knob G the same movement is communicated through the coin to the shalt lI, 'the pawl clicking over the ratchet as it turns. At the end ol the halt-turn the slot F comes beneath into coincidence with the (,leliveryslot I) and the coin falls out. The mechanism thus 'l'ar described dill'ers in no essential respect from that shown in in v said patent, andwhile it forms the structure for which my present invention has heen particularly designed it is not to be understood as neeessarily essential thereto.

It sometimes happens in the operation of coin-actuatial mechanism o'l this character that the person operating itwill not continue the rotary thrust until the shaft II shall have entireljvY completed its hall-revolution, so that the coin is released and drops out belore the pawl shall have dropped into place behind the last ratchet-tooth which it engages. In such case the shal't I'I is liable to turn backward the space of one tooth, and is certain to do so when the shaft is the means for winding a spring or acts against any similar elastic resistance. An example is found in my aforesaid patent, where the shaft operates to wind a spring. In such case the mechanism operated by the shaft II is liable to become deranged. My present invention is designed to obviate the possibility of such derangement.

My invention provides means in connection with the pawl for preventing the escape of the coin until the pawl shall have dropped into the notch behind the ratchet-tooth and properly seated itsel'i therein. To this end I connect directly or indirectly with the pawl an intercepting-plate movable into and out of the path of discharge of the coin and as close as practicable beneath the coin-driving part or barrel F, arranging this intereepter so that as the pawl is lifted onto a ratchet-tooth the intercepter stands in the path of escape ol" the coin, while when the IOO roi;

IIO

saaees paWl is dropped into the notch behind a P, so that in the coin-receiving position, Fig.

tooth the intercepter is displaced 'out 'of the path of the coin.

The preferable construction is that shown in Fig. 5, Where the paWl J has directly attached to it an intercepting-plate K. The paWl and plate might be formed in one piece, but for convenience the paWl is formed with a slotted tail, into the slot of which is soldered the end of an arm L, Which may be formed of sheet metal integral With the plate K, or the plate K may be otherwise connected directly or indirectly to the paWl, so as to receive from the paWl the requisite movements.4 The plate projects forward, as shown, s'o as lto stand over the coin-'discharge opening D, Fig. 4, and has a lateral movement into and out of the path of escape oi the coin. ratchet-tooth, as shown in Fig. 2, the plate K stands directly beneath the coin, so that 'if the coin is released it falls onto the plate, as shown in Fig. 2. lhen, as shown in Fig. l, the paWl is seated in a notch behind a tooth, the plate K is displaced to the left out of the path of the coin. Until thus displaced the coin consequently cannot fall and remains in engagement With both the coin-driving barrel F and the coin-driven shaft II, so that it must be used to carry this shaft to its final position and cause the paivl to drop into place back of the proper ratchet-tooth. In Fig. 3 the paWl is .thus dropped, the coin being still held rictionally, but in position to fall on being relieved oi' the pressure of the barrel F.

In the construction shown the barrel F is limited to a half-turn back and forth by being formed with a mutilated portion or rearward extension M, engaged by a stop projection Then vthe paWl is lifted by a 1, one side of the extension encounters the under side oi' the projection P, While in the coin-discharging position, Fig. 3, the other side of this projection encounters the upper side of the stop P. n

My invention is not limited in its applica- 'ti'on 'to the precise mechanism shown, but

may be applied otherwise Wherever in a coinactuated mechanism the coin-driven part is required to move the prescribed distance and then to be locked in place by a paWl before the coin which moves it is released.

I 'claim as my inventiony l. In a lcoin-'ac tuated mechanism, the `combination of a coin-driving part, a vcoin-driven part having a prescribed movement, a paWl for locking it at the end of such movement, and an intercepter operatively connected o such pawl to be moved thereby from the path of discharge of the coin upon the moving oi the paWl to its locking position.

2. In a coin-actuated mechanism, the combination of an oscillatory coin-driving part, an interinittently-rotative coin-driven part, a ratchet in connection with the latter, a pawl engaging said ratchet, and an intercepting-plate connected to said paWl arranged in the path of escape of the coin When the paWl engages a ratchet-tooth, and movable out of such path by the locking movement of the paWl behind such tooth.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of tWo subscribing Witnesses.

JAMES J. l/VOOD. 

